NOTE: This material is from web pages and forums carrying statements attributed to the Taliban, Taliban spokespersons or supporters of the Taliban, or analysis thereof. Posting of this material neither confirms nor endorses any of its content – it is shared for information only. When material translated into English is not available, Google Translate is used to translate the original  – this is only a machine translation, NOT an official one.

Friday, 18 December 2009 14:21 By Qari Yusuf
HELMAND, Dec. 18 – Afghan army soldiers were targeted by 3 straight blasts on Lashkargah intersection between Lashkargah and Kandahar. According to the details, 3 explosions went off on the intersection, blowing a military ranger vehicle apart and killing 13 Afghan soldiers on board. The Mujahideen from the area report that following the first detonation scores of other soldiers gathered at the site of explosion as two further detonations ensued. The locals of the area say the enemy blocked the Kabul-Kandahar highway where the struck vehicle was left burning and halted all the traffic movement for 3 hours. In fact, last year, in the same area, the former chief of the “KHAD” Dad Muhammad along with regional commander, Abd-us-Samad had lost their lives as result of a roadside bomb explosion.

10 U.S.soldiers suffer casualties in Garmsair (Official English) – Arabic version

Friday, 18 December 2009 17:31 By Qari Yusuf Ahmadi
HELMAND, Dec. 18 – Ten U.S. soldiers sustained casualties Thursday in separate detonations in the province’s Garmsair district.  The regional Jihadic officials report from the area that four U.S. soldiers were killed and six injured in the explosions ripping through ” Khwaja Drop” and “Agha Drop” areas of this district targeting the U.S. soldiers who had been on operations against Mujahideen. The report adds that enemy came under a simultaneous attack by Mujahideen as the explosions went off, causing additional casualties to the U.S. soldiers.

British troops sustain huge casualties in Gerishk and Sangeen districts (Official English) – Arabic version

Friday, 18 December 2009 15:46 By Qari Yosuf Ahmadi
HELMADN (sic), Dec. 18 – The British occupation forces have suffered considerable losses in the province’s Gerisk and Sangeen districts throughout Friday. According to the details, four British soldiers were killed and two wounded during three face-to-face confrontations with Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate on December 18, while two Mujahids were, too, wounded. Similarly, in the early noon of Friday, three British soldiers sustained casualties as an explosion ripped into “Char Deh” area of this district. A woman is said to have been among the killed British soldiers.

Here’s the story of an interpreter who’s served six different Canadian officials during the fight in Afghanistan.

This and this (PDF here in case links don’t work, and my worries here) is what Canada committed to in September for those who helped Canadians but can’t be protected in Afghanistan.

Barring any new, damning information (given that this is based on a media report that may not share everything heard, written by a reporter who may not be told/hear everything needed), who better to assist after the assistance he’s rendered Canada in general, and Canadians in particular?

I hope the answer to the title can be yes.

(Crossposted to The Torch blog)

A couple of new statements coming out of the Taliban Info-Machine this week – a few comments.

1) “Remarks of Z. Mujahid, Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Regarding the Invaders Recent Brutalities” (PDF at non-terrorist site here)

This one is a bit more official because it’s signed by one of the two “usual suspect” spokespersons the Taliban use to share the lies news of attacks and such.

Main theme:  whining about how Afghans and prisoners are bring treated.  The human rights theme isn’t a new one (some variations here and here).   Some might see this as hypocritical in light of the fact that since 2001, the Taliban haven’t let the Red Cross see prisoners in THEIR custody until last month.

What’s new, here, is interesting in light of the latest media/blog talk about the latest (alleged) opening by the Taliban offering to play nice with other countries if foreign troops leave Afghanistan.   Here’s the money shot – highlights mine:

The Afghans have never subjugated by  foreign invaders throughout the history nor have they accepted existence of foreign invaders on their soil. They have always struggled in the way of freedom and succeeded, in the long run, in  liberating not only their land but  lands of  other occupied people thanks to  their self-less sacrifices.

That bit in red is a 180 from the “we’re only nationalists interested in our backyard” message track we’ve seen in statements attributed to high-end Tailban bosses (like here and here).

2) “American War Strategy in the Words of Brown” (PDF at non-terrorist site here)

Not so much new in this one, responding to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown visiting earlier this month, so you get the haiku summary:

P.M. Brown stops by,

Says they’re winning (but they’re not).

New, bad search dogs bite.

The last line comes from this messaging tidbit (in red) I haven’t seen before, in the middle of the civilian casualties accusations and “we’ll win in the end” track:

Brown should understand that in the last eight years, the Afghans have tested all strategies, slogans and sympathies of the West and America. A few days ago, dozens of civilians were killed as a result of blind bombardment of American aircrafts (sic.) in Laghman province. According to another report, the brutal Americans have let loose their trained dogs to bite people during house raids in Khost, Paktika, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni and Kandahar. Later, the miserable Afghans were killed by the cut throat invaders. The Afghan freshly remember these horrendous incidents which ironically display the actual mercy and sympathy of the Americans with the Afghan people. Aptly, the Afghans know how to respond.

Update (1): Ronin over at the The Jawa Report offers a bit more of the rest of the story regarding Zabi Muh’s statement. Also, check out the first comment on this – we’re not alone in being underwhelmed by the Taliban! FYI, Google Translator says the squiggly bits are Persian (likely Farsi).

NOTE: This material is from web pages and forums carrying statements attributed to the Taliban, Taliban spokespersons or supporters of the Taliban, or analysis thereof. Posting of this material neither confirms nor endorses any of its content – it is shared for information only. When material translated into English is not available, Google Translate is used to translate the original  – this is only a machine translation, NOT an official one.

Thursday, 17 December 2009 16:52 By Qari Yusuf
URUZGAN, Dec.17 – Two of the Islamic Emirate Mujahideen , Hafiz Abdul Hai and Abdullah, carried out martyrdom operations Thursday afternoon within the facility of Harwat district in Uruzgan. Having entered the compound of the district facility following an armed attack on the soldiers on guards in front of the facility, both “Istishhadi” attackers carried out martyr attacks within the compound, entirely destroying the facility as well as killing at least 32 Afghan soldiers and 7 foreign advisers instantly with wounding another 14 including district commander, the report says. The martyrdom operation is said to have been carried out successively as a meeting was in progress between the members of the committee and foreign advisers. Furthermore, the adviser of the district committee and two of his assistants are reported to have been among the dead.

Tarinkoot explosion ; invaders’ tank blown apart (Official English) – Arabic version

Thursday, 17 December 2009 10:12 By Qari Yusuf Ahmadi
URUZGAN, Dec. 16 – Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate blew the coalition forces’ tank apart through a remote-controlled device Wednesday afternoon near Tarinkoot town in “Garm Aab” area, killing all the crew inside who were believed to be Australians. The locals of the area say that the killed soldiers were shifted to a nearby facility of the enemy, while the wrecked tank remained at the scene throughout the day.

Kandahar explosions leave 6 U.S. vehicles ablaze (Official English) – Arabic version

(Official English) Thursday, 17 December 2009 13:37 By Zabihullah Mujahid
KANDAHAR, Dec. 17 – Mujahideen’s three successive remote-controlled explosions struck the U.S. convoy of logistic vehicles at Dwahum Durahi ( second intersection) of Nahia 5 of Kandahar province,causing six logistic trucks and oil tankers to burn down including the supplies of the U.S. forces.

(Google English) Explosions in the city of Kandahar burned six cars to the enemy
Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
The explosions occurred at about the middle of the night (2009-12-17) in the car park funding for U.S. forces located at the intersection of the second hand fifth in the city of Kandahar. According to the news Linker these explosions took place by an explosive device planted, led to the burning of six trucks and Sharrij gasoline, which rose the flames of fire until late into the night. Says people of the region: The materials that were burned inside Aelchenahat also that were ready to be sent to centers of Americans.

Thirteen soldiers were killed in the battle of ranking Nad Ali (Original in Arabic) – Google English translation

Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
Severe battle took place between Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate and the Crusader occupation forces in the villages of the Directorate of Nad Ali in Helmand. According to the details of a battle ensued directly in about ten o’clock in the morning (2009-12-16) between the mujahideen and the common enemy forces in the village, “Noor Mohammad Khan” when the enemy soldiers in the case of exit from a position as they were attacked the Mujahideen. Clashes resulted in the death of (5) soldiers as occupiers and wounding one another with cut severely, and eventually wounded Mujahid one too. In other news, at one and a half of noon yesterday, and clashes between the militants and the enemy soldiers in the village of Shin directorate in question, which led to the death (7) soldiers as occupiers and injuring many others. Add news, injured (2) of the mujahideen in the fight, which lasted two hours.

Yet more losses to enemy in Helmand (Official English) – Arabic version

Thursday, 17 December 2009 16:45 By Qari Yusuf
HELMAND, Dec.17 – A frontal engagement broke out between Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate and the British occupation soldiers Thursday morning in ” Jushali” area near the center of Sangeen district of Helmand, ending up deadly losses to the enemy with the death and injury toll unclear. In another news, one of the enemy’s military tank moving from one base to another got blown apart by an IED in the same area last night. According to another news, in the early morning hours of December 17, Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate engaged in a confrontation with NATO invaders in “Trikh Nawar” area of Marjah district, the casualty toll of the enemy, has, however, not been determined yet. Mujahideen killed 2 soldiers of the Afghan minion army in a guerrilla attack this morning in Gerishk bazaar, the report says, adding that an innocent civilian was martyred by the minion army soldiers following the attack, while the latter was taken by enemy to their base.

Mainstream media (here and here) and bloggers are looking at a new question:  why is U.S. President Obama ignoring the Taliban’s latest offer of a “legal guarantee if the foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan”.

For now, I’m staying with the “I’m not buying it” crowd.

Why?

Although the 8 Dec 09 statement on the Voice of Jihad’s English site looked at here suggests an offer has been made:

Washington turns down the constructive proposal of the leadership of the Mujhideen….

and the 4 Dec 09 statement covered briefly here mentions this:

The Afghans, particularly the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has no agenda of meddling in the internal affairs of other countries and is ready to give legal guarantee if the foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

what other proof do we see of the offer actually having been made?

The suggestion of an offer made (in the equivalent of Taliban editorials – OK’ed by the group, but maybe not as “official” as a statement signed by a boss or under-boss) doesn’t seem to jibe with most recent statements attributed to Taliban officials by name, such as this one from Mullah Omar, even if we take the most liberal interpretation, say things have to change BEFORE talking.

Also, we know the Taliban grossly inflate ISAF casualty figures (14:1 reported-to-actual in the case of Canadians killed in RC-South – check here for the latest), they don’t appear to stick to ceasefire agreements, and they don’t appear to be following their own code of conduct.  What do you believe?

Based on that track record, is the MSM that’s questioning Obama’s “ignoring” of an alleged offer pressing the Taliban to clarify it’s position, given the range of information put out by their Info-Machine?

Between all the “official” signed statements, the unsigned but officially endorsed op-ed statements, and statements by people saying they’re Taliban commanders, it reminds me of advertising and teaching:  they say only 50 per cent of what you put out there sticks, but you never know with 50 per cent does stick.

With the Taliban, we know a some percentage of their public information is false or exaggerated, but we don’t know which.

Hence, the need to keep reading tea leaves.

(Crossposted to Long War Journal’s Threat Matrix)

Did a bit more exploring, and it appears that in spite of denials on terrorist forums, the Taliban PayPal fundraising site is official.

Why?

Because there’s a link to the PayPal site from the Voice of Jihad’s Pashto page (highlighted in yellow on page 3 of PDF at non-terrorist site here).

NOTE: This material is from web pages and forums carrying statements attributed to the Taliban, Taliban spokespersons or supporters of the Taliban, or analysis thereof. Posting of this material neither confirms nor endorses any of its content – it is shared for information only. When material translated into English is not available, Google Translate is used to translate the original  – this is only a machine translation, NOT an official one.

Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate of destroyed tanks, armored forces improvised explosive device in Mntqtp “Hills Sncasar” Department of Kandahar province, two buttons (Zhari). Reportedly powerful explosion occurred yesterday afternoon (2009-12-15) Which led to the destruction of the enemy tank is full, and he died Jima soldiers who were on board were killed. The fatal accident occurred when the tank was on its way from its security to a point close to hit the improvised explosive device in the middle of the road. After the incident, the transfer of enemy soldiers killed about their positions, and the tank destroyer, still remain at the scene.

Martyrdom attack kills (12) British soldiers in the Directorate of Sngen (Sangin) (Original in Arabic) – Google English translation

Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate of benefit had been a martyrdom attack on British forces occupied in the fifth time yesterday afternoon (2009-12-15) near the center of the Directorate Sngen in Helmand. According to the report, attacked two of the heroes of the Islamic Emirate (Allah and Muhammad was sentenced Ghiath) Bdrajthm firearms armed attack on British soldiers who searched the civilian pedestrians in the area near a market Mande Directorate Sngen. Officials report the jihadists in the region that the outcome of this attack (12) British soldier and two soldiers of the puppet army and wounded (2) occupiers others. It should be mentioned that the severity of the explosion scattered the members of the dead soldiers where still exist in the surrounding fields.

6 puppet army terrorists killed in Helmand (Official English) – Arabic version

(Official English) Wednesday, 16 December 2009 02:26 Reported by Qari Muhammad Yousuf
Wednesday morning 16-12-2009 at around 7 am local time, Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan blew up two landmines targeting puppet army terrorists foot patrol in Garishk district of Helmand province. In the first blast three terrorists were killed, soon after when the enemy were transferring the dead bodies of the killed terrorists, the Mujahideen detonated the second landmine, which killed three more terrorists and wounded three.

(Arabic to Google English) Explosions in Gereshk sign dead and wounded among the enemy
Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate reported from Helmand province: deaths and injuries occurred in the military client in around seven o’clock this morning (2009-12-16) A result of two explosions in the Directorate of Gereshk that mandate. In the two successive blasts kill (6) of the puppet army soldiers were killed and (3) other serious surgeries. According to the news Linker: the enemy of this loss incurred when an explosion occurred on the very foot soldiers of the enemy in the “Paris” not far from the center of the Directorate, only three kilometers, which is the line of fire and fighting between the mujahideen and the enemy, killing (3) soldiers. Shortly after this incident, another blast occurred while the enemy soldiers transferred the bodies of the dead from the place of the first explosion. In the second blast also killed (3) soldiers on the spot, and wounded (3) other serious surgeries. Say the parents: the enemy surrounded the scene does not allow anyone near him.

Killed five soldiers as occupiers in the battle of the Directorate of Musa Qala (Original in Arabic) – Google English translation

Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
A fierce battle took place directly between the Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate and the pawns of the occupying forces before noon today (2009-12-16) in the “de false,” Department of Musa Qala in Helmand. According to local mujahideen that the outcome of this battle that killed five (5) British soldiers and wounded many others injured. The battle took place when the direct Mujahideen attacked the enemy soldiers as they prepare to launch attacks against militants in the region, “Zord chapter” in this Directorate. Directly with the attack took place direct battle with the enemy as long as two hours, and thankfully did not suffer any casualties during the Mujahideen. Adds the report, during the battle, the enemy shelled the area, causing heavy losses houses and farms of innocent people. In the novel of the witnesses: the bodies of dead soldiers remained, and vehicles destroyed until the end of the day side of the road at the scene.

Puppet Army 3 vehicle destroyed and 9 terrorists killed in Zabul (Official English) – Arabic version

(Official English) Wednesday, 16 December 2009 02:24 Reported by Qari Muhammad Yousuf
Tuesday afternoon 15-12-2009, Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ambushed a puppet army convoy when it was traveling on Kandahar-Kabul highway in Zabul province, in the ambush three enemy Toyota Surf’s were destroyed with RPG’s, resulting in the death of nine terrorists, also their weapons were Mujahideen’s booty.

(Arabic into Google English) Army destroyed three cars of the type of enemy Saraf Toyota
Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
We received the news of Zabul province: Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate attacked yesterday afternoon (2009-12-15) on cars Afghan soldiers customers in the “Mronde Mande” description of the mandate of the Directorate of the month of Zabul. Linker stated in the report: the armed attack carried out in an ambush, led to the targeting of three cars of the enemy by Qmaev RPG, in which, (9) soldiers were killed. The sheep Mujahideen (6) guns and the rest of the equipment of the soldiers dead. Mujahideen says the region: the enemy suffered losses when I came a convoy of enemy ambush mounted by the Mujahideen on Kandahar, Kabul, in the region mentioned above. And thankfully there have been no casualties in the ranks of the Mujahideen in this successful attack.

Clashes with the Invaders and puppets in Nimroze (Official English) – Arabic version

(Official English) Wednesday, 16 December 2009 02:23 Reported by Qari Muhammad Yousuf
Tuesday afternoon 15-12-2009 at around 10:20 am local time, Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ambushed a joint patrol of the Invaders and puppet in Nimroze province, heavy fighting took place which continued for forty-five minutes, but the number of enemy killed or wounded could not be confirmed, later the enemy bombarded the area in which two Mujahideen were wounded.

(Arabic into Google English) Clashes with the occupation forces in Keshrod
Continental / Yousuf Ahmadi
Erupted yesterday (2009-12-15) Violent clashes between Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate of the Crusaders and the occupation soldiers, and Afghan troops in the region, “Beshet good” state Department Keshrod Nimroz. Clashes continued for about 45 minutes, which broke out when a joint patrol of the occupying forces and Afghan attack by the Mujahideen. Mujahideen said in their report from the region: the enemy suffered losses in these clashes in money and lives, but it did not have accurate information about the numbers. The enemy planes attacked at the end of the clashes, wounding two of the Mujahideen surgeries. Residents say: “We saw a number of Israeli soldiers transported the wounded and dead from the battlefield by helicopter to position the background.

Remember the site looking like it was a Taliban fundraising page whose address was one letter different from the propaganda page?

Well, on November 11 this year, on a terrorist forum, there was a posting (Arabic, Google English and PDF of both at non-terrorist site) warning about that very site – here’s what Google says it says:

Peace be upon you
I want to inquire of you my dear brother on this site, who says he has pleaded for the Islamic emirate and requests to donate to the Taliban.
I think my brother to this site from the establishment of intelligence and wants to sign a brotherhood.
Take your precautions.

Later in the thread, it appears at least one poster suggests a more mercenary reason for the site if it’s not an official Taliban site:

Because even those who want to donate the sign to do so in a manner very naive
Because it puts a donation via paypal
This way those who do not know all the information about the address of the person Envoy to him and the donor and their phones to be linked to their accounts banking
I think that this is not the work of the intelligence of making a thief
The matter is simple
Bought the domain name on behalf of the emirate
Banner stolen brothers and put the name of the page as putting
But it is a simplicity to the way paypal

So, is this

• an official Taliban web site, taking advantage of tech to collect money from the internet masses;
• an interesting way for, in the words of those more clever than me, western agencies with (usually) three initials to trick folks into sharing both money and identify info; or
• a clever identity thief using Taliban graphics just to steal money and ID info?

It’s been more than a month since this posting, and I haven’t seen any official denial by the Taliban (please let me know if you have).  I don’t see any obvious reason for the Taliban to NOT issue a denial if it’s not their site – I’m guessing they wouldn’t want to be helping either foreign intelligence or an identity thief.

Then again, this is an organization that cuts off fingers of people who vote, so who knows?

Update (1): It looks official, folks!

Following a Twitter tip, I managed to track down this article (PDF in German, and Google English translation) from Germany’s Deutscher Depeschen Dienst news agency:

…. The (German) federal government expects that the U.S. expected the deployment of another 2,500 German troops under the general increase in troops for Afghanistan. It will only after the Berlin Conference on Afghanistan on 28 January in London to decide. NATO officer in Brussels pointed out that it would thought that the German soldiers, the Canadians in the southern province of Helmand to replace ….

While Canadian troops have fought in Helmand, those who read German better than I do indicate this means that Germans could replace Canadians in the south – happy to hear from anyone who reads German if that isn’t the case.

Given how Germany’s political masters control how the troops get to do their job in Afghanistan – this, from a recent U.S. Congressional Research Service report (PDF via Federation of American Scientists):

Senior U.S. military officials point with concern, for example, to constraints on German forces in Afghanistan, which are imposed by Germany’s parliament the Bundestag. These include restrictions on German training and advisory teams that do not allow them to conduct combined offensive operations with their Afghan counterparts, and on capable German Special Operations Forces (SOF) that are “FOB-locked,” that is, effectively confined to their Forward Operating Base.

- one wonders how willing German politicians will be to change the rules to make them closer to those engaged in the fight in Afghanistan’s south.

(Crossposted to The Torch)

Update (1): There’s rumours of more German troops headed to Afghanistan (but still some political conflict over whether they should head south).

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has carried out two visits to three members of the Afghan security forces detained by the Taliban in Badghis province, north-western Afghanistan.

The visits took place at the end of November.

“This is the first time since the beginning of the current conflict that the ICRC has visited people detained by the armed opposition,” said Reto Stocker, ICRC head of delegation in Kabul. “We welcome this breakthrough. We plan to conduct and repeat visits in other regions, and hope to visit people held by other armed opposition groups, with the aim of ensuring that everyone detained in relation to the armed conflict is treated humanely.”

I can’t wait for the human rights groups out there screaming about how ISAF forces treat detainees to hurl their indignation at the Taliban for waiting so long to allow Red Cross access.

By comparison, from the same Red Cross statement:

The ICRC currently visits 136 places of detention in Afghanistan and has registered over 16,000 persons since the beginning of the current conflict in 2001.

Yeah, it’s the West who are the bad guys here alright.